7
PRINCIPLES OF DEMOGRAPHY
SOC310.001 SPRING 2013
Instructor: Dr. Jianjun Ji
Schneider Hall 437
Department of Sociology
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Phone: (715) 836-3050
Fax: (715) 836-5071
Email:
Classroom: Schneider Hall 313
Class Hours: 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. MW
Office Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MW or by appointment
______
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
This is an upper level undergraduate course in demography. The course will start with a brief overview of the world’s population growth and distribution coupled with an introduction to demographic perspectives. This is followed by an exploration of the key components of demography: mortality, fertility, and migration. It will present issues related to population structure, population aging, family demography, and life chances. Finally, the course will examine urban transition and population related social issues concerning population growth and economic development, environment, and population policy. Knowledge and information about the American population are incorporated throughout all chapters wherever appropriate. By the end of this semester, students will achieve the following outcomes:
1 Learn the fundamentals of population sciences and the scientific methods, its basic concepts, theories, and measures.
2 Have an understanding of demographic component, mortality, fertility, and migration.
3 Develop a basic understanding of the consequences resulting from demographic and social processes concerning population aging, family and household transition, suburbanization, environment and human welfare, population growth and economic development, and implications for population policies.
4 Enhance students’ ability to inquire, think, and analyze issues concerning the population process and social change
These objectives will be addressed through lectures, exams, assignments, readings, quizzes, group projects, team presentations, class discussions, power points, handouts, and personal advising.
UNIVERSITY LIBERAL EDUCATION LEARNING GOALS
1 Knowledge of Human Culture and the Natural World
2 Creative and Critical Thinking
3 Effective Communication
4 Individual and Social Responsibility
5 Respect for diversity among people.
These goals will be addressed through the content of the course. This includes but is not limited to lectures, assignments, handouts, quizzes, exams, term papers, group projects, group presentations, discussions, power points, overhead projector, and personal advising.
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY PROGRAM GOALS
1 Ability to construct, evaluate and communicate empirically based arguments about the social world
2 A respect for ways of life and diverse viewpoints of others
3 Skills necessary to promote professional development and community engagement over their lifetimes.
These goals will be addressed through the content of the course, including but not limited to lectures, assignments, handouts, quizzes, exams, term papers, group projects, group presentations, discussions, power points, overhead projector, and personal advising.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
Rental*
John R. Weeks, 2008. Population: An Introduction to Concepts and Issues. Tenth Edition, Wadsworth Publishing Company *(Book One = B1)
Peters, Gary L. and Robert P. Larkin. 2005. Population Geography: Problems, Concepts, and Prospects. 8th Edition, Kendall/Hunt Publication Company *(Book Two = B2)
Recommended
Joel E. Cohen. 1995. How Many People Can Earth Support? Norton.
John Isbister. 1995. The Immigration Debate. Kumarian Press.
Laurie Ann Mazur. 1994. Beyond the Numbers: A Reader on Population, Consumption, And the Environment, Island Press.
Shryock, Henry S. and Jacob S. Siegel. 1976. The Methods and Materials of Demography. Academic Press Inc.
TERM PAPER AND ESSAYS
Students have an option to either complete a term paper or write two essays. The paper or the essays account for 15% of the final grade. The detailed requirements are listed at the back of the syllabus.
ASSIGMENTS AND QUIZZES
There will be three assignments that account for 15% of students’ final grade (each of the three is worth 5%). Late and unstapled assignments are NOT accepted or accepted with point deductions. The instructor only accepts HARD copies of your assignments. Handwriting assignments are acceptable but they must be clear and readable. Otherwise careless or hard-to-read assignments will be graded as zero. In addition, to examine and enhance students’ understanding, quizzes will be given as team work exercises though some of the questions may not be covered by your textbook but related to the course content. Quizzes account for 10% of the final grade.
PRESENTATION AND QUIZ
Fifteen chapters and articles will be assigned for reading and presentation. The class will be divided into five groups each of which will have three presentations during the semester. Reading and presentation materials come from B2 and other relevant sources. Expectations of the presentation: 1) Each group must submit the presentation electronically to the instructor prior to the presentation; 2) Each presentation must develop five questions and answers based on their presentation; 3) Presenting the major ideas/points of the materials assigned within 15 minutes; 4) Presenters must be able to answer questions related to their presentations. The presentation makes up 10% of the total grade. The quiz is based on questions developed by groups and accounts for 5% of the total.
ATTENDANCE
According to the university’s policy, the instructor “will maintain student attendance records.” In case of an absence, A WRITTEN NOTICE must be given to the instructor. Students who are late for class 30 minutes or more, or leave class earlier before the dismissal without the instructor’s prior permission, will be treated as an absence. Absences will affect students’ final grade. An unexcused absence will be one point deduction from the final grade. Students who have 4 accumulated absences during the semester cannot get an “A” grade, and those who have 6 accumulated absences cannot get a “B” grade, regardless of their performance in other areas. Any student who has a disability and is in need of classroom accommodations, please contact the instructor and theServices for Students with Disabilities Office in Old Library 2136 at the beginning of the semester. For students with substantial difficulties due to disability and absences due to emergency or serious illness, absences will be excused, but they must report to the instructor within two class meetings after missing a class.
EXAMS
There will be two exams during the term including the final. The exams cover 50% of the final grade. The content of the exams will be primarily from the instructor’s lectures, quizzes, and group discussions based on B1. That is, students who wish to achieve expected grades must take notes in class. Specifically, the first exam will cover the first six chapters and the second/final covering the rest of the chapters. The types of tests will be multiple choice, true/false, matching, short essays, or a combination of them. No makeup exams will be provided if the instructor has not received prior notice. The missed exams will be treated as “zero” for that exam. The instructor reserves the right to curve the final grade when necessary.
CLASSROOM DECORUM
To maintain a learning atmosphere in classroom, students are expected to refrain from any distractive behaviors during the class. Talking to seatmates is disrespectful to other students and strongly discouraged. Further, inappropriate behaviors such as sleeping, eating, listening to radios, reading a book or newspaper, doing homework, coming to class late or leaving early, will not be tolerated.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Students should do all their work independently. Any occurrence of academic misconduct such as plagiarism will be dealt with in accordance with the guidelines and procedures outlined in the academic misconduct policy at the university.
SYLLABUS
The syllabus serves as a “contract” between the instructor and the students. It is very important that students read the syllabus carefully, make plans for themselves, and act upon it accordingly. Due to circumstances such as events, meetings, weather, and the like during the semester, the syllabus may undertake some adjustments when it is considered necessary.
ASSIGNMENT WEIGHTS GRADING SYSTEM
1 Test1 25% A = 90 -100
2 Test2 25% A- = 87 - 89
3 Assignment 15% B+ = 83 - 86
4 Term Paper 10% B = 80 - 82
5 Presentation 10% B- = 77 – 79
6 Group Quiz 10% C+ = 73 - 76
7 Present Quiz 5 C = 70 - 72
____ C- = 67 - 69
Total 100 D+ = 63 - 66 D = 60 - 62
D- = 57 - 59
F = 56 or below
FORMULA FOR FINAL GRADE CALCULATION
Final Grade = [(Test1 + Test2) * 25%] + (Paper 15%) + (Assignment 15%) +
(Presentation 10%) + (Quiz 10%) – (# of Absence)
______
EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
Test1 3/11 Monday
Final 5/13 Monday 3:00 – 4:50 pm #313
______
CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS
1/23 SYLLABUS, SEATS, GROUPS, AND ASSIGNMENTS
1/28 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO DEMOGRAPHY
1/30-2/4 CHAPTER 2 GLOBAL POPULATION TRENDS
2/4 Presentation Ch1 Population Growth and Change (G1)
Presentations are referred to selected chapters from B2 otherwise as indicated**
2/6-11 CHAPTER 3 DEMOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVES
2/11 Presentation Ch4 Theories of Population Change (G2)
2/13-18 CHAPTER 4 DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
2/18 Presentation Ch2 Population Data (G3)
2/20-25 CHAPTER 5 THE HEALTH AND MORTALITY TRANSITION
2/25 Presentation Ch5 Mortality Patterns and Trends (G4)
2/25 First Assignment Due
2/27-3/4 CHAPTER 6 THE FERTILITY TRANSITION
3/4 Presentation Ch6 Fertility: Patterns and Trends (G5)
3/6 Review for Test1
3/6 Report on Paper preparation
3/6 First paper outline due
3/11 Test1
______
3/13-25 CHAPTER 7 THE MIGRATION TRANSITION
3/25 Presentation Ch8 Migration and Mobility (G1)
3/18-22 Spring Break
3/27-4/1 CHAPTER 8 THE AGE TRANSITION
4/1 Presentation [Population and Society]**
How a Population Ages or Grows Younger
The Coming Acceleration of Global Population Aging
P. 98-109 (G2)
4/3-8 CHAPTER 9 THE URBAN TRANSITION
4/8 Presentation [Population and Society]**
Migration and Urbanization P.300 -309 (G3)
4/8 Second Assignment Due
4/10-15 CHAPTER 10 THE FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD TRANSITION
4/15 Presentation [Population and Society]**
Changes in Conjugal Life in Canada:
Is Cohabitation Progressively .. P.126-138 (G4)
4/17-22 CHAPTER 11 POPULATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
4/22 Presentation Ch9 Population and the Environment (G5)
4/24-29 CHAPTER 12 COPING WITH DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE
4/29 Presentation Ch7 Family Planning Programs (G1)
5/1 Presentations Ch10 Population and Food Supply (G2)
[Population and Society]**
The Age of Migration: International Population
Movements in the Modern World P. 333-341 (G3)
The Debate Over the Effects of Population Growth
on Economic Growth P. 351- 361 (G4)
Making Family Planning Accessible in
Resource-Poor Settings P. 412 – 419 (G5)
5/6-8 Term paper Presentation
5/6 Third Assignment Due
5/6 Final Paper due
5/8 Review for final
5/13 Final Monday 3:00 – 4:50 pm #313
______
Requirement for Term Paper:
3/6 First paper outline due
Submit a draft of your paper up-to-date to demonstrate the progress you have made in progress; in typed format; no specific requirement.
5/6 Final paper due
The specific requirements for the paper should consider but not limited to the following steps – Name of the topic/Title, Problem Statement/Introduction, Research Questions, Theory and Literature Review, Hypothesis, Data source, Method for Analysis, Results, Conclusion, and Reference. Students may choose topics within the10 areas*** though these areas are only provided as references. The completed paper should be in typed format, double-spaced, and at least 10 pages and more. The references must include at least 8 PROFESSIONAL research articles. The paper must be submitted in ASA format which can be found in the following address: http://www.calstatela.edu/library/bi/rsalina/asa.styleguide.html
5/6 Two Essays Due
The specific requirements for essays are: 1) select a topic that must be related to demography; 2) state the importance of the topic and why you choose this topic- any contribution? 3) each essay must be double spaced with at least 3 pages long; 4) each essay must have 3 professional articles as citations to be shown in the list of REFERENCE section; 5) the essay must be organized in a logical sequence with subtitles/subsection titles according to different paragraphs; 6) charts, data tables, graphs are welcome; 7) the essay must follow a chosen style and be consistent throughout the whole essay.
***The following 10 topics for your consideration as references:
Factors contributing to American population distribution
Factors that cause the fertility decline in American society
A country of immigration: the American strength
Leading death of American’s mortality and the factors related
Variables contributing to a declining status of the American elderly
Aging Americans and its socioeconomic implication
Urbanization and the status of the aged population
Birth control devices and prevalence of contraceptives in the US
Changes in age and sex structure and their impact on society
Using any of the demographic theories to explain a population issue
INTERNET RESOURCES
The Population Research Center at the University of Texas in Austin. http://www.prc.utexas.edu
The Bureau of the Census. http://www.census.gov
The Internet ® search® ‘HumPop’
The Internet ® search® ‘IntlPop’
African Lives. http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/africanlives/front.htm
The World’s Refugees. http://www.unhcr.ch
Michigan Information Center (MIC). http://www.state.mi.us/dmb/mic/
National Center for Health Statistics. http://www.cdc.gov/nchswww/nchshome.htm
National Institute on Aging (NIA). http:// www.nih.gov/nia/
American Demographic, Inc. http:// www.marketingtools.com
United Nations Population Information Network (POPIN).
http://www.undp.org/popin/popin.htm
Demographic and Health Surveys. http://www.macroint.com/dhs
Population Reference Bureau. http://www.prb.org/prb
Population Index. http://popindex.princeton.edu/
U.S. Census Bureau’s International Programs Center (IPC).
http://www.census.gov/ftp/pub/ipc/www/
POPLINE. http://www.charm.net/~ccp/popwel.html
International Development Information http://www.iisd.ca/linkages
USAID Home Page. http://www.info.usaid.gov/
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Home Page. http://www.undp.org/
The World Bank Home Page. http://www.worldbank.org/
Population Associations. http://www.pop.psu.edu:70/1s/library/PAA_Affairs
Association of Population Centers.
http://www.pop.psu.edu/Demography/demography.html#apc
Collections of Population Web Sites. Internet Resources for Demographers.
http://members.tripod.com/~tgryn/demog.html
Population and Reproductive Health. http://www.pitt.edu/HOME/GHNet/poprepro.htm
Directory of Population Organizations. Gopher://cde2.ssc.wisc.edu:70/00/addazlis
Top 10 diseases 2011 - > http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0933314.html
China Population policy:
http://chineseposters.net/themes/population-policy.php
Italy Population policy:
http://www.ds.unifi.it/livi/pubblicazioni/does-italy-need-population-policy.pdf